PAMPHLETS
Fortunately it is not necessary to decide here the ever-vexing question
"When is a pamphlet not a pamphlet?" From the binding viewpoint any
printed matter of more than four pages which does not have a stiff cover
is a pamphlet and it is within the province of the binding assistant to
prepare it for the shelves.
Unbound material in libraries is of three kinds: periodicals; serial
publications which are not periodicals such as annual reports, bulletins
of societies or government bureaus, etc.; and separate pamphlets not
numbered, of a monographic character. The binding of periodicals forms
part of the regular routine and is discussed elsewhere in this book.
Annual reports and other publications of a serial character should be
filed in pamphlet boxes on the regular shelves at the end of the bound
set. When a sufficient number of reports have collected they may be
bound in cloth by decades or half-decades, according to the thickness of
the reports. In many libraries most of such publications need not be
bound at all, but will answer every purpose if wrapped in paper and
lettered by hand. Serials other than annual reports generally give some
indication of which numbers should be bound together, if bound at all.
If there be no change of numbering or no completion of volume numbers to
indicate a separation, they should be arbitrarily grouped in volumes of
a convenient size, conforming if possible to one or more calendar years,
and bound or wrapped in paper. If series are not to be kept together
they should be treated as described in the following paragraphs.
Monographic works in unbound form range in size from those of a dozen
pages to those of several hundred. Probably the best arrangement for a
large part of this material is to assign a subject heading or a class
number and keep in a vertical file alphabetically or by class number.
With this the binding department has no concern, but there are always a
number of pamphlets which have permanent value for the library and which
should be treated in the same way as a book with stiff covers.
Undoubtedly the cheapest way to prepare pamphlets not over one-half inch
thick for the shelves is to put them into Gaylord binders. These are
made of board sides connected at the back by a strip of cloth and having
on the inside gummed flaps which can be attached to the back of the
pamphlet. There are thirty different sizes ranging from 5 by 7 inches
to 12-1/2 by 17 inches. They are made in two qualities, the photo-mount
costing from $3.15 to $13.60 per hundred and press board costing from
$4.25 to $17.60 a hundred.[6] If the pamphlet has a cover as well as a
title page, the cover should be taken off and pasted to the outside of
the front cover of the binder. In addition to moistening and attaching
the gummed flaps, it will be found necessary in many cases either to
wire through the back of the pamphlet with some kind of a stapling
machine, or to sew through as described on page 190 for attaching red
rope manila to circulating magazines.
Footnote 6: Prices increased 10 per cent April 10, 1916.
When the pamphlet is firmly attached in the binder it should be lettered
in white ink along the back. If the pamphlet is very thin it will be
necessary to letter author, title and call number along the back edge of
the front cover, close to the back. If the original cover has not been
pasted on the outside it will also be necessary to letter author and
title across the front cover.
Pamphlets which are too big to go into the binders can be bound in
regular book form if their use will warrant the expense. If the use will
be slight they can be made very serviceable by using the red rope manila
as described on page 190.
Very large libraries keep all pamphlets permanently. Those which are not
sufficiently important to treat as books are generally kept in
classified order in temporary cases. When a sufficient number have been
collected on any subject they may be bound together in volumes of proper
size. So far as possible pamphlets of the same size should be bound
together in cloth, but they may vary a little if they are level on top.
The expense of binding in this way is, of course, much less than if each
pamphlet had been put in a binder. Smaller libraries may perhaps be well
advised to bind in this way pamphlets having a local interest which must
be kept permanently.
It is not necessary to discuss here the various kinds of temporary homes
of pamphlets, such as manila folders, envelopes, wooden or pasteboard
boxes, Ballard klips, etc. They all have their uses, and each librarian
must work out whatever scheme seems best to him.